CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs were inducted into the Environmental Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the Hotel Allegro in downtown Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 22. In addition to the tribute, the Cubs helped inaugurate the Chicago Area Green Teams.

"We are honored to be enshrined in the Environmental Hall of Fame and proud to participate in supporting the Chicago Area Green Teams, the Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Schools," said Mike Lufrano, Cubs' senior vice president, community affairs.

The Cubs were honored for their continued support to youth programs in the Chicagoland area. The Cubs and McCormick Foundation's Cubs Care support a number of organizations committed to bringing quality sports programming to Chicago youth. Each year, more than 13,000 children and young adults participate in sports programs supported by Cubs Care grants. Such programs include: Rookie League, Inner City Youth Baseball and Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities (RBI). The Cubs are also long-standing supporters of Chicago Gateway Green, helping to promote beautification of the area's roadways.

The Chicago Area Green Teams is an initiative to promote the environment through education at every junior high school and high school in the Chicago area. Teams at each school compete to see who has the best plan to make their school and their city environmentally conscious. The program hopes to expand to regional and state level competitions in the future.

The McCormick Foundation, through its fund Cubs Care, has granted more than $13 million to Chicago non-profit organizations since 1991. Grants help support non-profit organizations which aid children with special needs, support youth sports programs, help victims of domestic violence, and assist social service efforts in the Lakeview community.